20100706
AFRICANEWS

Following the new civil society law of Ethiopia introduced last year, the number non governmental organizations (NGOs) in the country reduced by more than half, civil society registering ministry's report reveals.

Report of the ministry of Justice of Ethiopia presented to the parliament last week shows that out of the total of 3,522 NGOs who were registered before the country introduced the new law, only 1,655 have so far been able to reregister while the rest vanished.

“This shows the fact that most of the NGOs in the country were not operational even though they were registered,” the ministry noted in its report.
The ministry stated that out of 1918 sample NGOs on which it undertakes investigation, only 739 were found operational.

The ministry is given the mandate to reregister all NGOs and civil society organizations in the country - the new and old ones based on the new civil society law of the country.

Out of the total 1,655 NGOs, which so far are able to be reregistered, 218 have changed their names while 17 shifted from their previous objectives to other objectives, the report noted.

The new civil society law of Ethiopia, which is approved by the Parliament January 6, 2009, was criticized by many international organizations such as Human right watch as a law “will have a crippling effect on civil society in Ethiopia”.

NGOs do not have to spend more than 30 percent on administrative expenses, reporting requirements and mandatory license renewals every three years were among articles of the new civil society law of Ethiopia, which were highly criticized by some donors and human right activists.

Meanwhile, before passing the law the Ethiopian government on its part claimed the new law would promote accountability in NGOs operating in the country.